Jalen Johnson unlocking a new era for Hawks

For the last few years, the Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young era has produced question upon question.

The franchise sent the San Antonio Spurs multiple first-round picks to pair the dynamic Young with Dejounte Murray. That was in 2022. It's now 2025, and Murray is a member of the New Orleans Pelicans, evidence of an experiment gone wrong. 

The questions entering this season were fair. Was it time to think about a new era? Were the Hawks stuck in a cycle of play-in games and early playoff exits? What was the vision?

But some clarity has arrived in the form of a 6-foot-8, 23-year-old forward helping reimagine who the Hawks can be over the next few years. His name is Jalen Johnson, and he's arguably the most important piece in breathing new life into the franchise.

Johnson has built himself up enough to be a Most Improved Player candidate. He's increased his production every year since he entered the league in 2021. Johnson averaged 2.4 points as a rookie and is now putting up 19.8 points in year four, on top of pulling down 10.2 boards a game.

There's another category that speaks to Johnson helping to unlock more possibilities for Atlanta. He's dishing out 5.3 assists per game, which is top 50 in the NBA. Herein lies the greatest revelation about Johnson's play. He's a playmaker, showcasing a level of comfortability with the ball many didn't see during his one season at Duke. 

Johnson can be seen initiating the offense at times. He's grabbing rebounds and immediately putting pressure on defenses. He's able to find the open man in half-court situations. Johnson is also a threat to score in all ways imaginable on a court. This is what makes him perhaps the perfect complement to Young.

The term "unicorn" has been made popular in the basketball world, but if the "chameleon" category ever catches on, Johnson should certainly be among the leaders there. The beauty of his game is he doesn't need the ball in his hands at all times to be impactful.

Johnson can be whatever is needed. Whether it's filling the lane on the break, crashing the boards or providing a lob threat, he's more than capable of switching between tool kits. All of these combined tools have opened up a new wave of offense for Atlanta. 

There's another element to Johnson's game that speaks to what the Hawks have built as a whole. With his size and athleticism, he's a presence on the defensive end as well. Johnson is one of a handful of players able to make up for the deficiencies of Young, joining the defensive menace Dyson Daniels and De'Andre Hunter. 

Atlanta has seemingly figured out the puzzle in trying to build a sustainable winner by collecting versatile and athletic wings whose impacts go far beyond buckets. Johnson is included in this, but what makes him the most intriguing member of this group is the major growth he's shown and what more could come. 

The Hawks are 19-19, good for a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, but they've been an exciting watch. They'll face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The next chance for Johnson to showcase his game is up in the air, though, as he's been out the last three games with right shoulder inflammation. The Hawks are 1-2 during that stretch.

They'll no doubt need Johnson back on the court for a playoff push. This summer, though, will be very important in his continued development. Johnson reaching higher levels in year five will be critical if the Hawks want to be serious contenders in the East.